What does the sodium-potassium pump transport across the cell membrane?

The sodium-potassium pump is an essential membrane protein that actively transports sodium and potassium ions across the cell membrane, crucial for maintaining the cell's electrochemical gradient. The mechanism of the pump involves moving three sodium ions out of the cell and two potassium ions into the cell.

This specific transport process is vital for numerous cellular functions, including regulating cell volume, maintaining resting membrane potential, and facilitating nutrient transport. By expelling more positively charged sodium ions than it imports potassium ions, the pump creates a negative charge inside the cell relative to the outside. This electrochemical gradient is essential for the conduction of nerve impulses and muscle contractions.

The answer that states three sodium ions are moved out of the cell while two potassium ions are brought in accurately describes this pump's operation and highlights its role in sustaining vital physiological functions. This recognition of ion movement is critical in understanding cellular transport mechanisms and their importance in cellular homeostasis.